Spring-wheel.



s. L. TAYLOR.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10, 1906.

PATBNTBD AUG. 21, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

LLL-829,182.

s. L. TAYLOR. SPRING WHEEL.

APPLIOATION` FILED JAN.10, 1906.

PATENTED AUG'. 21, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4SAM'EI'IL: TAYLOR, or SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

'SPRING-WHEEL.

'specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 190e.

Application filed January 10,1906. Serial No. 295,385-

y in isa ful clear, and exact description.

his invention relates to spring-wheels for vehicles--such asautomobiles, bicycles, and carria es-,and has for its object to minimizethe vi ration between the rim or tire and the hub and to rendergenerally unnecessary the requirement of pneumatic tires on the wheel.

A wheel'made in accordance with this invention comprises inner and outerseparated annular portions and membersof a resilient character which inone sense may be considered spokes for uniting and supporting one of thesaid annular portions from the other with capability of the partsyielding and absorbing thereby the vibrations developed between thetread and hub, and the wheel, furthermore, includes certain combinationsand arrangement of parts andthe forms and constructions of the parts,for advantages, all substantially as hereinafter described.

The wheel in various forms is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in Which- Figure 1 is a side view of the wheel of an approved form ofconstruction. Fig. A2 is a cross-sectional view, on a larger scale,taken on line 2 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a perspective view in detail of oneof the individual s rings. Fig. 4 is a side view showing the wheel avingcompound springs. Fig. 5 is a view of a dif.- ferently-formcd, springwhich may advantageously be used in this improved Wheel. Figs. 6 and '7are side elevations showing wheels embodying modiications in theconstructions and arrangement of some of the parts.

In the drawings, A is a vehicle-Wheel comprising a hub a, spokes I), anda felly or rim This felly is preferably of metal and, as shown incross-section in Fig. 2 is of con siderable breadth and has formed onits pe Y ripheral surface 4 the dovetail grooves 5.

These grooves 5 are located, preferably, at.

points on the felly opposite the wheelspokes b.

A series of half-elliptical flat springs C, having bevel-edged lugs 6and 6a formed on their extremities, are secured to the wheel A, as shownin Fig. 1, by the lugs 6 of said eld, in the county of s t e grooves ofthe felly B.,

An outer wheel-rim the felly B and of a .diameter substantially 'largert prmgs being engaged with a driving it D yof the same as .6G A Y an thediameter of the said felly B 1s g. 7 f

secured tothe Wheel A in a position c o11cen'` l trlc therewith by ,theenga ement ojthelugs 1) 6 of sprlngs C within the ovetail grooves 7,

these grooves 7 being formed on the inner the rim D has formed thereinthe broad annular groove '9, (see.Fig..2,) which receives l 'A i'thetire E. This tire portion of the wheel may be a solid-rubber tire orfor some pur- "hij i poses of use may be of metal or wood.

The annular space formed between the separated surfaces 4 and 8 of thefelly and the rim D is closed in and protected from the l shape and areAcemented or otherwise secured Aby their edges t'o the sides of the fellyB and the rim D and maybe further secured thereto by the hoops or bandsG, held by pins, screws, or rivets 10, and which hoops or bands, asshown in Fig, 2, arevof half-round Vcross-sectional sha e andwhich'effectually cover the comente edges of the covers F.

In practice a spring-Wheel constructed as above described receiving itsshare of' the load of the vehicle initiall f on the inner Wheel A actsto de' ress suc of the springs C between the felly and rim D as arebelow the center of the wheel, thereby bringing the Wheel A from itsnormal concentric position within the wheel-rim D to an eccentricApositiontherewithin, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Simultaneously with the compressing of the springs C on the lower halfof the wzheel as just described a corresponding distending of the.extremities of the springs on the upper portion of the wheel isnaturally produced. This action of the springs 1n they IOC are attachedto the felly B and rim D, rve-V spectively, and it will also beperceived that while the springs at the bottom are c ornpressed andthesprin s at the top are distended the strain on t e springs at the sideofthe wheel is in a manner for draft on the curved length of theendwise-located spring.

IIO

face 8 of the said rim D. The outer face o 'f'`- These covers F are ofring-like i the inner extremity of each being pulled down slightly belowthe level of its outer extremity.

The above-described spring-wheel is capable of resisting great lateralstrain thereon such as caused by the vehicle being suddenly turned orswerved from a straight course while travelingfat eat speed by reason ofthe great individua -strength of each one of the springs C. Thisstrength of the springunited parts constituting the wheel resides in thewide dimensions of the rim, felly, and unitingvsprings and' in theresultant firm bearin which each of the lug-provided extremities of thesprings has 1n the equally wide dovetail-groove bearings of the rim andfelly. Wheels already constructed and in use may be equipped with theouter wider rim and the'interposed resilient connection members, and inplace of half-elliptic or U- shaped springs full elliptic springs, asshown in Fig. 5, may be em loyed.

A number of modifications of the abovel described spring-wheel areossible.

Fig. 4 shows a simple an practical way or combining the half-ellipticalsprings c, as described, with spiral springs H. In combining springs Cand H in this way, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, guide and retaining pinsor studs 12 are formed on the springs C near their 4extremities topreserve the said two compounded springs in proper relations to eachother.

Other modilications, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, may be carried out, as,for instance, by employing the hub as the inner annular part or rim andhaving the springs serve in the place of the usual straight spokes forconnecting the hub and the outer rim, Fig. 6, or

the hub may be employed as the inner annu# lar part and the rim to whichthe outer portions of the connecting springs are secured may be made ofconsiderably .less diameter than that of the entire wheel, the rimcarrying the tire of the wheel being supported fromA the rim, which isconnected to the outer por- The outer rim need not be rigid, for a verygood character of wheel may be produced by making such rim more or lessHexible.

I claim- Awheel comprising an inner rim and an outer rim in separatedrelations and having SAMUEL L. TAYLOR.

VVitnessesz'` WM. S. BnLLows G. R. DmscoLL.

